BBC Film Network

The BBC film network publishes short films from people around the UK on their website, this is promoting the production of short films for people to watch online. The BBC's website shows not only their main feature films that are most recent to the company but also a list of new short films that have been uploaded by them.

The photo shows the front webpage which is promoting the new feature film they have produced but underneath there is a list of new and recommended short films. They are promoting these films by genre grouping them making it easier for people to watch them on the internet, which is why they have been uploaded in the first place.

The BBC are the most well known television company in Britain and with its other company focusing on film it is about helping independent writers and producers to create the short films they want, with competitions and helping schools around Britain. It gives the opportunity for people to watch videos of the production process, different case studies on producers and
directors and even a how-to guide on working in different aspects of the film industry. You are able to submit your own short films and create a profile, this shows that the BBC a
re dedicated to giving every opportunity to people interested in the business.

The BBC not only promote the up and coming directors and writers of short films and feature length films however they are also promoting and creating their own for example The Nativity and The Men Who Stare at Goats, however they also co-produce with Warner Brothers and other large film companies, the BBC's film base has been growing for years focusing on dramatic film to comedy and historic. The films that they produce are typically English locations and actors. The Film branch of BBC was created in 1994 however didn't take off until 2000 when they began making more than a few films a year, also the company isn't run by the public instead is owned by a private company but is controlled by the BBC.

Film Four Network

Film Four which is a branch from Channel 4 which also focus on the different aspects of film, even though the first glance at their main web page is generally focusing on their new up and coming productions and their movies which are being shown on television now, which are generally more feature films than short. Film Four have made it possible for people to watch films for free from any television in Britain which is helping the industries popularity as well as new writers and directors get noticed. As well as show older films to a new generation.

However if you click on the short films tab bar you will see that there is a lot of different variety within the films that they have produced and uploaded by others. People are again able to create profiles and upload their own footage and then share it with everyone, it gives people a chance to experience the industry more than they would have been able to before. They are also able to then gather feedback from other viewers and improve on their skills and techniques.

Having a large company under the branch such as Channel 4 meant they were able to advertise on television at different times. In 1998 they began to show small independent films which have now turned in to a feature film and short film epidemic. When FilmFour was first launched it was a paid channel through sky or satellite television however in 2006 the subscription ended and the service became free for people to use and watch.

FILM FOUR ADVERT

Audience Questionnaire

I created a questionnaire that helped me understand how people feel towards short films as well as a added question linking with the theme of our short film.

Have you ever seen a short film before?

Yes No


Would you consider watching a short film?

Yes No


Were would you rather watch a short film?

Cinema Internet Television


What genre of film do you prefer?

Romantic Sci-Fi Horror Drama


Do you think that domestic violence is an important issue now-a-days?

Yes No

I found that 70% of the people that I had asked had seen a short film however 80% would actually consider watching one, this shows that 10 % were wanting to watch short films but hadn't. This could be because of many reasons, they don't know where to see them or they haven't been subject to the short film genre before. There was a tie of 40% between 5minutes and 30 minutes for how long people would like the movie to be, because we are doing a 5 minute short film its nice to see that there are a variety of people who would want to watch it due to its short length.

100% of people agree that Short Films are important to the industry and the development through film making, this shows that many people appreciate the importance that short films bring for directors, actors and writers as well as the industry itself. Companies like the BBC and Channel 4 are helping promote them as well as give the public greater chance of watching them. The information that I gathered relating to our short film genre/theme shows me how people feel about this sensitive subject we want to address. 100% of people agreed that abusive relationships are an important issue now-a-days, which I expected to happen, the question about genre also showed me that 40% liked Romance and 40% liked Drama which was a good sign as the genre we are aiming for is a Romantic Drama.

The information that I found showed that people believe that short films are important to the industry and would consider watching them either on the Internet or television. It also helped me to see that the theme we have chosen would be a popular one with the audience we are targeting. Overall the audience questionnaires gave me an insight in to how a range of people perceive the short film genre and what we need to do in order to attract our target audience.

Audience Research

After reviewing the other short films I decided to film my audience research towards the industry and my ideas. I came up with a few questions that I asked three people involving the industry and out main ideas and I wanted to know about there thoughts towards the short film market and what they think to out idea.

From my research I have learnt that many people haven't seen a short film because of its availability for us, as well as wanting to see a short film people also have different tastes in genre which means that short films should aim to be diverse as well as broadly produced.

As for our idea, its definitely a serious topic in society and therefore many people believe its a good idea that we show the way in which it can happen especially without us knowing. (Which is what we are trying to show!) I think that our idea will give a detailed account of what its like to be in a abusive relationship and show a positive ending from it.

Because the audience we are aiming to look at is the similar age of our characters it will generally be the E - C2 demographic. This is because these people will be able to relate better with the story as well as the characters that we are trying to create. Another factor about our audience is that they will be within the age of 15-25, so they will be from students to working class people. I think that this target audience is a good group of people to have because they are the usual audience that use the Internet, that go to the cinema and that are open to new suggestions within the film market. Our story would appeal more to them as the message we are trying to portray what would be a more important message to them as it focuses on their age range.

The psychographics that we are aiming towards would be strugglers and mainstreamers. This is because the people would be seeking escape through watching the movie as they are hoping to be taken on a journey through the story, this would usually be the students who want to watch something entertaining. The mainstream people target more the C2 demographic who are watching the film to seek security as well as to learn something, which is what we would be trying to create. We want our film to portray a large meaning as well as have a message of escape for the young girl.

Because short films aren't shown in the cinemas but instead the Internet and television program's, its not generally the most known television programs such as BBC 1 or ITV because they have such as large audience and on going programs that they need to play footage that would be targeting all the people watching. However BBC and Channel 4 both promote the production of short films within the community with Channel 4 showing them between popular TV shows and BBC showing them on different channels for example BBC which also target a young and imaginative audience.

Young Love

Iconography (key visual symbols)

The most clearly used symbol has to be the camera which connotes the way in which the couple have memories because they record them. Although it also denotes their playful side of their relationship because they are posing and messing about with it. Another visual would be the setting in which the main story takes place, on the bridge at the beach as it connotes a peaceful and romantic day but the denotations of it can be danger or calmness. The one scene of her walking away then changes to black and white and the 'old' her running towards him, it shows that she is ready to move away from him in the present but he still remembers their past. This a very effective bit of the film because it gives the viewers an understanding of their relationship and what happened.

Mise en Scene (props, lighting, setting, weather, clothing)

The setting of the film is very iconic of a romantic drama because it takes place in typical places such as the bed room and out on the bridge, the setting is romantic and typical of a young relationship. The bedroom is typically youthful with clutter and books and jewellery everywhere. Their clothing is very casual although the girl is covered up in man clothes which could connote she isn't a very confident within her appearance. The lighting is all natural however the black and white filming shows a unnatural light on the characters.

Narrative (key features of story)

The black and white footage suggests it is in the past which is later conformed from the way they are talking to each other on the bridge. The female is seen as innocent alone in the bed but then when the boy comes in to the bed she becomes violent and aggressive which is unexpected. Because we have seen the boy watching her on the bridge at the start (not in black and white). We watch different clips from the past showing the development in their relationship which goes from happy and close to the present day when they are finding it hard to be next to each other.

Sound (diegetic and non-diegetic)

The non diegetic classical music playing at the start is very soft and emotional which is fitting with the genre however its a bit dramatic because the viewer doesn't understand how it relates to the sad story. The camera snapping as well gives a very sharp noise which attracts the audience. The diegetic sound is the background such as the sea and strangers adds to the realism of short films, the voices of the characters is very stereotypical because he is very loud and nasty which suits his personality as well as her being quite. The panting of the woman's voice connotes her desperation within the relationship and her weakness against him.

Camera (movement and composition)

A lot of the time the camera movement was hand held which created a realism to the film, it also used a variety of angles during the film. Because the effect of 'the real camera' is flashing images it looks as if we are looking through the camera which is effective because we are watching the relationship. When the couple seems to be at their happiest the camera is close up on their faces for example as they kiss, this could connote their closeness and 'being as one'. The tracking along the beach shows the distance between them with the girl being the main focus and closer to the camera and the male further away.

Message (hidden meanings)

The hidden message through this film is that things change and although everything seems happy that usually isn’t the case and even though you might not want it you have to accept change and carry on.

My Thoughts

I liked the idea of the camera being a central part of the film because it was an interest with both of the characters but also played a significant part in showing the viewer their relationship. I also thought that the story line was well thought out and the little hints that there were towards their relationship were cleverly put in to it. I didn't like the black and white tint on the past footage, i think that they could have done that differently. But overall I enjoyed this one because its plot was more interesting and its characters had more depth.

A Thousand Words

Iconography

The Photograph on the fridge is extremely important because it sparks off all the action that follows and it has importance to the plot as well.


Mise en Scene

The kitchen is a typical student small kitchen which is ideal for the setting of the film because its cosy and snug. The males first outfit was very relaxed and dark but when we see him in the past he is smartly dressed and more fashionable, which suits his character. The girl has dark make-up and a lip piercing which suggests she is edgy and dangerous, but her clothing is very relaxed. The dark restaurant is very romantic and with the candles gives it a dark feeling which connotes that they are on their own but are happy to be alone. The camera is used as a prop but it also connotes that they have memories of each other that haven't faded.


Narrative

We see a male come in to the house and talk to his girlfriend however we then see him asking questions which suggests that he isn't that close to her. This also shows when he is in the fridge and he is disgusted by the things he sees which also connotes that he doesn't know her very well. The flashback then shows him meeting a girl and falling in love with her over a date, but he then becomes possessive and she leaves him even though they are in love and we then see her in the background of the photo of his new girlfriend.


Sound

We watch him place the tape in to the recorder which then turns in to upbeat non-diegetic sound, its in keeping with the style of the film which is currently light and upbeat. The second scene there is a shot of a guy playing the guitar which is diegetic and the song he is singing is again in keeping with the genre of romance. Which turns in to non-diegetic sound when we turn to the main male character at the lake. The non-diegetic sound is also very upbeat and light which fits with the first date. However the girls voice becomes very harsh when the boy is firm with her which connotes conflict within their personalities.


Camera

Hand held is just following the males moves and watching him. When he is looking in the fridge we are watching him at a close up angle, his facial expressions are clear here. The close up of the males face when he is looking at the photograph is very important because it helps us understand that the next scenes are something he is remembering. The hand held panning of the characters at the lake is very dodgy because its moving fast. The high angle of them in bed and the way they are facing each other connotes their closeness and attraction to each other. The zoom on the photo at the end is also very effective because it rounds up all the stories information.


Message

The message in the film is that even though something might end you can't forget it because it will always be there to haunt you.


My Thoughts

I enjoyed this film because I liked the twist it had on the story. I also enjoyed the way that music and camera angles fitted well together the only part I felt let it down was the last scene in the bedroom between the main characters, because it wasn't very powerful which it should have been.

Complicated Love

Iconography

The sepia footage is a clear flashback and the split second shot before it shows the girl is thinking what we are watching. The teddy bear shows the relevance to her baby and how she is feeling extremely scared in the life she has.


Mise en Scene

The film starting in the dark connotes that the relationship is in a dark place at the moment that we meet the couple suggesting difficulty between them. The clothing is very boring and there isn't much to it, the girl isn't dressed in feminine clothes and she seems a boring character. The setting of the old, dirty house connotes the ruins of their relationship and the desperation they are in.


Narrative

The first time we are introduced to the characters we instantly find out that something happened that was unexpected. The second scene starts with them facing towards a house which can show us that they are very serious about their relationship. There are parts of the film that show their relationship isn't a very steady one as we watch the boy buy drugs and the girl take a pregnancy test. Although towards the end I don't quite understand what happens to the story as it slows right down, but we do see the couple solve their problems which is the ending to their story.


Sound

The non diegetic sound that begins the film is similar to the last one with slow and acoustic music becoming louder which sounds very romantic, and then the voices singing 'Its complicated, its just love' is very stereotypical of a romantic drama as well as being male and female.


Camera

Once again its a hand help camera which is used for tracking as well as still filming, this is because it makes the film look real, which is a big part of the genre. The fade to the second scene is effective and calm which relates to the next scene of them standing together which connotes their united as a couple. The cameras placement at the end of the table with the mother and daughter is a clear indication of their relationship being very distant. The cameras pan around the streets is another way of us knowing we are looking at what the characters has just seen, which gives it another sense of realism.


Message

The deeper message to the film is that at a young age love can be a challenging thing and we watch the couple overcome a few of the issues that can be raised in teens life's for example pregnancy and drugs.

My thoughts.

The film wasn't very captivating and I feel that they didn't think of their story very in depth, they could have played with their characters emotions a lot more to provoke a reaction from the audience. The camera work was a bit shuffle and the scene in the shop was complicated because you couldn't hear much however I thought the flash back ideas were good along with adding the history of the relationship.

Romantic Drama Genre

A romantic drama consorts of a deep plot with a lot of meaning to its characters and story, many of them involve a relationship between a boy and a girl that have to overcome situations and developments throughout the film to see if they are really 'in love'. Romantic dramas can be a challenging genre because they usually have to draw emotion from their viewers. The genre is generally focused on reality and real emotions within their characters and stories. Short films are known for their deeper meanings because they are a niche market they have to be able to portray a certain message faster than feature films. However there is a lot that writers and directors can focus on with romantic dramas whilst they explore the short film production. Even though both romantic films and dramatic films can be seen as a serious choice of genre you can also make it slightly light hearted with the characters that you chose for example many will have a funny and lighthearted family member/friend to release the tension created within the relationship of the main characters. With both influences the short films can give a very deep and real portray of life and its difficulties, as well as give a interesting and loving story.

In feature films it is more likely that the production of romantic dramas is increased because they have the advantage of more time, which means that are able to develop a story in to making it as believable and real as possible. However short films are about getting a deeper message across to viewers and with the genre of romantic dramas there is a lot of advantages because its a very real theme in life it can provoke more emotion from the viewers more easily.

Final Treatment.

Title - a title is used to draw the producer and viewers towards the short film, they should be creative but also practical.

young love,

the dark side,

at first sight,

not once but always,

Although we have decided to go with 'At First Sight' because it gives a inner message within the title. Our other ideas we feel aren't strong enough to hold the story together.

Log line - one or two sentences that is a pitch to the producers giving the main objectives of the story.

'the budding romance of a couple of young teenagers slowly turns in to a violent and cruel reality, showing the weaknesses and desperation of young love.'

Synopsis - 1-7 pages covering the major critical plot points and when its fully developed.

The film will start in a very minimal bed room with a high angle straight on only half of the bed, it will show a girl getting in to the bed and facing directly towards the camera. The edit will fade, through to a sepia tinted 'dream'. The girl will be walking through the street and accidentally walk in to a boy who is walking the opposite way to her. As they bump their is a shot of them looking at each other, and then it cuts to a scene with them sat together out in the open eating chips from a open bag.

They are portraying a happy and 'loved up' environment in which we believe them to be in love. Then it slowly shows clips of their relationship, showing the developments of their relationship and the closeness that happens within their relationship. After a few clips of the relationship we then have a scene in the night when the girl is watching her boyfriend from afar, the camera with be an over the should shot with us watching as well as her, her boyfriend is beating a innocent stranger up along with all of his friends. This is completely unexpected and makes the audience feel sorry for her. The sympathy for her carries on as the next few scenes we watch her know his true self but contemplate on telling him.

It then cuts back to reality and shes in the bed, curled up and facing the other way. We watch her walk down the hall way to the bathroom and then cut to her at the sink. An over the shoulder shot will follow of her looking sleepily into the mirror. The camera angle will be straight on her and wont move, instead we will watch her bend to the sink and then see her body as she comes up and she has a large black eye and cuts. This will be a large shock for the audience but it plays in their emotions as its unexpected, it also gives the hint that her dream was in fact reality.

The next scenes then show her confronting him about what she saw, it goes from her being rather gentle about it and him not over reacting to an extreme of him shouting over her and her losing her strength. It then fades back to her alone in her bedroom, s-hes shaking and curled up in the corner, the camera then pans away from her and then cuts still panning to her at night walking alone on a bridge, with the boys dark figure hanging back following her. The camera will focus on the girl however always have the boy in view. The next shot will have him holding on to her in a public area his grip on her arm tight and we watch him slowly talk to her, the camera will constantly be on their hands, watching her reaction and his actions as they speak. The sound will be their voices getting louder, and as they argue we watch her hand go from struggling to stopping 'dead' like.

The camera then snaps back to straight to the girl in bed , the camera is once again in the high angle is was to begin with, shes shaking and is covered in sweat. She stumbles out of bed and we have a medium angle of her sitting on the side of the bed, the camera then changes to another over the shoulder shot of her looking at a suitcase, then to her hand playing with the bracelet we saw in the dream. The camera then goes back to the high angle of the bed and it pans from her side to the other side and reveals that the boy is sleeping next to her. We then hear a door slam and we go to the other side of the bed at a medium angle and see the boy lying asleep and the bracelet lying on her side of the bed.

Characters -

Girl - shorter than him, pretty but very weak, thin, pale, shy.

Boy - tall and innocent looking, larger than her but not stereotypically muscly, dark hair and stylish looking.

Innocent boy - small, thin, mouthy.

Ideas For Our Short Film.

First Lesson

1.

Progressing through time slowly showing a change of surroundings and characters but not aging. Therefore setting and mise en scene would change. Show topics such as war, love. Follow a relationship between teenage lovers. Use sound snaps and 'newsreels' to break up each event. Key moments in history, showing the way the relationship changes.

This advert was our main inspiration. It however has so much funding behind we are unsure of how we would create the same settings and environment.

2. Every century the man dies through a different cause and you show the woman's reaction - love never dies, nothing ever changes i.e - the woman's grieving process doesn't change. the violence through the ages hasn't changed.

The group have been having real difficulty thinking about how to intwine each of our interests as Harri enjoys violent and sci-fi movies whilst Me and Louise prefer the romantic comedy side of film.

Second Lesson.

During the week I was thinking about different ideas other than the timeline story board, and I was thinking about showing a dream that is actually reality, giving a message or meaning to the audience through the eyes of a young girl.

The idea consisted of a relationship between a young girl who has fallen for a boy who she thinks she knows however she doesn't know everything about him. We watch her be pulled into love with her, and then she sees him being violent and nasty towards others and after confronting him. He begins to then abuse her and it becomes exaggerate. We want to send a clear deep message about women and their control within relationships against abusive men.

We have become really in to the idea because there are a lot of things that we can do with it and it interlinks both romance and violence which is both what Me and Harri wanted. We are thinking of different scenes in which we could incorporate the different changes of the relationship. We are sticking to the fact that it is a dream but also a reality so we cut back to her in the bed after each key scenario in the film. We will also show the dream over different days, for example when she is in the bathroom she is washing her face at once and then suddenly in different clothes and therefore a different day.

bed room -

meeting -

first date - fish and chips, walk and sat by pond or park.

1st development -

2nd development -

her finding out -

confronting -

back to reality - she goes to the toilet late at night washes her face and different day, and she looks in the mirror and black eye.

1st hit - punches her,

2nd hit -

bed room -

leaving or not? - sits up in bed, look at suitcase, cuts to him then rolling

Character list -

girl - skinny and smaller than him to show a clear weakness in her character.

boy

boys friends

innocent person thats get beaten up

Although we have developed this idea a lot more we regret that we won't be able to achieve what we wanted with the timeline idea. There isn't enough funds or equipment for us to create the kind of movie that we wanted and we feel that this idea gives us the chance to develop ideas. The group and I are very happy with our ideas and are continuing to develop them and are looking forward to filming.

Analysing Short Films - Nits

Use of music to enhance the story

slow drowning music builds tension - which relates to his emotions building up.

short snap violins and orchestra playing stops and starts to show his

Editing to enhance the meaning

quick edits and sharp ones.

brief shots - to show deeper

edit to mums face

Use of camera to show narrative and perspective

zoom on the boys face, shows his emotions.

varied shots high and low, to catch eyes.

close up on mums face shows her weakness.

medium shot with dad and james.

high angle and low angles to show him creeping up on her.

middle shot but fade on james and focus on mum and gran - switches to show that james is listening.

close up on the leave and lady bird show his want for escapism.

perspective shot of james looking out of the window.

Use of setting and mise en scene to represent psychological situations of characters.

small house - not wealthy and typical english.

mother is wearing lose clothes and cardigans.

very city like english houses with the thin alleyways in the back of the houses.

Deeper message?

How child react to things that they might now understand.

Analysing Short Films - Walk this way.

Use of music to enhance the story.

music is shown and then heard. - sound bridge.

used throughout the film,

voice over changes from male to female. - used to create comedy and also enhances the story by explaining.

country music fits in with the landscape. - got pretty repetitive.

Editing to enhance meaning.

blending in of shots. - fading. - little bit overused.

smooth edits between different scenes.

Use of camera to show perspective/narrative.

behind the shoulder shots.

high angles to create the idea that we are looking down on the map as well

close ups on their actions and middle shots on their behavior.

close up on male face to show his feelings.

long shots and static shot - typical of nature programs.

Use of setting/mise en scene to represent psychological situations of characters.

setting is used a lot, landscape shots.

constant landscape shots.

the country side was used to create the theme.

all the characters were dressed in appropriate attire, all props enhanced the characters 'comical' characters.

the setting was very specific to the theme of nature programs

Deeper message?

mocking people who usually 'ramble' through the country side.

Shane Meadows.

Shane Meadows lived in rural England in the 1970's as a child, in Uttoexeter in Staffordshire. with his mother working in a fish and chips shop and his dad a long distance lorry driver. He grew up in the typical England environment, his father was involved in the murder case of Susan Maxwell (because he found her body) and he began to be bullied at school. He dropped out before he had reached his O-levels and turned to petty crime and at the age of 20 he moved to nottingham. In Nottingham he began to make films and he roughly made 30 short films with the people that he meet there, his love for cinema had fostered back home when he would visit the Elite Cinema and in Nottingham although there were no ways in which he could show off his work he tried to play them in local cinemas.

Meadows style of filming changed when he began a course in filmmaking in Burton College, he began to base most of his filming in the Midlands and is known for his relaxing personality on and off set. He encourages the actors to add-lib in order to get the best sense of realism. He also bases lots of his works on his experiences in Uttoexeter, in his youth he played for a local football club and used to box in the local boxing club. These experiences are portrayed in his work for example Twenty Four Seven and A Road For Romeo Bass. Although there were darker sides to Meadows past that he portrays in Dead Mans Shoes, which is based on his friend that was bullied at school and then developed a drug problem at a young age and unfortunately committed suicide.

This is England is the most well known of Shane Meadows work and was celebrated in his home towns film festival with 7 of his short films being shown.

Short Film Research.

The production of short films has been around decades before feature films were made and so well known and they are a celebrated part of the film industry. The directing of short films have lead to lots of well known feature directors success including Shane Meadow's the writer and director of This is England. The film industry however is now so focused on the growth in technology such as 3D and the production of feature films that short films are having to find different ways to create popularity within the culture we live in. This is were all the different forms of short films come in to play, advertising and music videos are some of the most well know short films. Other ways in which short films are incorporated in to the media are - newsreels, cartoons, tech films, corporation videos, cine-magazines, sponsored films making, student films, gallery installations and amateur cinematography. All of these possibilities give directors and writers a wider range of what to do.

There is a mass pressure on the niche market due to the huge competition from the feature and popular films, along with the factor that the short film makers don't have the technology and funding to create movies such as feature ones. As well as the competition from Television, due to it showing movie's that have only just been produced and released. This means that due to their niche audience they have to aim at producing something to influence the mainstream. Due to people wanting to see blockbusters its harder for directors to explore the different ways in which they can experiment with film. Instead short films can usually be generalized and commonly the same, this is due to the director wanting to create a profit from the film instead of expressing themselves.

However short film makers are able to challenge ideas and theories through film practice and with the freedom that comes from creating short films it is easy to express stereotypical or challenging view points. However many of the short films made usually lead on the same topic even though their writers have the chance to do new and different things with their filming. There are a few advantages to directing, writing and producing short films though because there is less chance they need mass funding, careers are less likely to be at stake and they can film for as long as they want. Another advantage is that the UK Film Council and BFI have opened two schools in London focusing on the helping young students and amateurs who aspire to be directors and usually from these schools short films are the first thing to come out the courses. This is because they are a good way to start a career in film and help the amateur understand the concept of filming and directing. It also gives the students the ability to experiment with the use of filming and editing facilities. The films that these students produce are more important than their grades or and university degree because it all depends on how they perform.

Although there are criticisms towards short films because some find that they can cause democratization because they can be created on careless filming, it is to much of a vague comment to make. However people feel that the short film niche market has lots its potential and is now having to compete with other industries and audiences to create profit. With the new ways that it is pushing itself in to the media industry for example with music videos. For example -

This short film was intergrated with Lady Gaga's song.

Short films are finding ways to make themselves heard within the media industry and therefore they don't need the large funding that feature films have.

To conclude the industry has become a very niche market even though it was the first type of movie made. Even though they are having to compete with the feature films and mass audience they are now able to target different sides of the media and industry. Short films are on the periphery in the industry due to the larger economic and social power that feature films and television has. Whilst feature films dominate the industry of film, short films act as a stepping stone in the industry for directors and producers to excel in the their work. The UK have been known for traditional supporting their film- makers and amateurs and always finding raw new talent within the film industry.

Reflectiveness

Reflecting back on the AS course.

How well did your product adhere to conventions of title sequence?

The end product that we had had many similarities of a title sequence from a movie, this is because it didn't give a lot of information away about the story but it introduced the characters. The music fitted in well with the slow start of a movie that usually picks up pace as the action begins. However i feel that there wasn't enough action within the starting of our sequence, I think that we could have used more dialogue to create the more realistic view of life. The camera angles weren't as adventurous as they could have been which may have made the clip to audiences look slightly bland. Although the editing I feel was cut well and it linked very well together. I also feel that we didn't link the 'mobile phones' very well together because they were a big part of the story however I think that if we were given more time then we would have been able to add another scene in to explain that they were all linked. Overall our attempt of the title sequence I think catered to the specifications of a movie title sequence very well.

Best decisions?

Keeping organized was one of the things that we did well as a group and to keep on top of filming and editing was a good idea so that we didn't have so much time to do anything else. Splitting the scenes up was a good idea because i feel that it makes the opening eye catching because something different is happening at every point. I was also happy with the way that we were able to create the stereotypes which was a major part of our sequence. I think that our aim of targetting a young audience was reached and I am happy with the way that we planned each detail out. Overall I was extremely happy with the decisions I made.

Worst decisions?

Unfortunately thelighting that we filmed in wasn't what we wanted to have but due to times we were only able to film at specific times of the day so we had to use artificial light to create the morning effect that we needed and therefore during the opening of each scene it was slightly different lighting. Another decision that I would change is the way in which we all didn't play apart in the music production side of things because I would have liked to know the way in which our music was created. Although in the end our music was perfectly fitted to the opening.

Why did you make these decision?

I think at the start we made the decision to keep on top of work as much as possible this was because we wanted enough time to edit and focus on adding the final touches to the opening sequences. We made this decision based on the fact that it would be easy to trip up and forget important key things that needed to be filmed or editted and then end up never doing. Another decision that was made was to keep the characters stereotypes very biased we wanted to do this because our background research of Romantic Comedys showed that each character of the film had a specific character stereotype. It was very important for us to focus on our target audience and genre. This is because in the real world the audience play a big part in the production of a movie and they deteremine the success of a movie.

What will you do the same/differently over the next 3 months?

I will keep the group I work with as organised as possible and on top of our planning and filming because it worked really well for us in the long run. I think that we will also have to do a large idea session to ensure that we chose the best ideas from the group. I think giving each person a part to play but allowing them to try different parts of the production side would be again a nice way to even the work load.

I think I would change the way that the group does things seperately and try and have everyone present at the time of production, editing and other effects such as sound. This means everyone will have an experience from every side of the short film aswell as their own ideas behind the topic.